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At the start of the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, many people with disabilities did not know about Ebola because the national public awareness campaign did not share information in formats they could understand.

Handicap International, present in Sierra Leone since 1996, stepped in to ensure people with different kinds of disabilities knew how to prevent the disease. 

‘This is not something you can do if you aren’t passionate about it’. This was the first thing Jonathan Matambo said to me, the mine detection dog handler who joined Handicap International’s demining team in Casamance, Senegal, last September. The 33-year old divides his time between his family, who live in Harare, Zimbabwe, and his two explosive detection dogs, Katja and Rex.

At nine years of age, Katja is something of a veteran. However, each day this female Belgian Shepherd comes to work with fresh energy and enthusiasm. She has worked in an impressive number of African countries: Kenya, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo... and thanks to her exceptional sense of smell she has detected dozens of explosive devices.

Although the conflict between the Senegalese army and the rebel forces of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) appears to be slowly fading, populations still face the threat of anti-personnel mines. At the beginning of December, Handicap International launched a mine-clearing programme. The first operations in the village of Diagnon, east of Ziguinchor, began in mid-December and aim to clear 30,000 square metres of land of mines, barbaric weapons that primarily kill and mutilate civilians.

This December, UK school students and campaigners from Cornwall to the Highlands raised their voices for the victims of conflict in countries like Syria, as part of the Forgotten 10 Challenge. Students raised awareness among their peers, Pyramids of Shoes were built, Tea at 10 coffee mornings took place, and lots of support was gathered for the Stop Explosive Weapons petition.

There are an estimated one billion disabled people worldwide, 80% of whom live in developing countries. Disabled people are commonly the poorest of the poor in society, experiencing social exclusion and discrimination at all levels.

The lives of civilians in Gaza are still endangered by explosive remnants of war [1], one year after the outbreak of fighting between Israel and Palestinian armed groups. At least 4,500 explosive devices [2], are still buried under the rubble of houses and infrastructure destroyed during the 50-day conflict. Handicap International immediately supplied aid to the most vulnerable individuals and, since March 2015, it has organised risk education sessions to prevent more people falling victim to these weapons.

To mark the publication today of the 2015 Landmine Monitor report [1] on the progress of the Mine Ban Treaty [2] , Handicap International is reminding States Parties to the treaty of their promise at the Maputo conference in June 2014 to free the world of mines by 2025. The report also notes a rise in the number of mine casualties and the use of mines during 2014. The organisation is calling on States Parties to redouble their efforts to eliminate this threat.

Humanity & Inclusion champions global inclusive health by strengthening equitable, resilient, and sustainable health systems that ensure access to quality care for all.

Explosive weapons including landmines and cluster munitions continue to kill and injure civilians in countries all around the world. 

Humanity & Inclusion’s emergency response teams take action on the ground to assist the most vulnerable, in particular people with disabilities, injured and displaced people.

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Humanity & Inclusion knows from experience that an artificial limb alone doesn’t change the life of an amputee. Our approach to rehabilitation is based on the recognition of individual needs, taking into account a person’s individual situation, their environment and the local services available.

Humanity & Inclusion (HI) is an independent charity working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. Find out about our mission, vision and values.